Beacon devices send a beacon identifier (ID) over a short-range wireless link such as Bluetooth LE when a device comes in range. To date, beacons have been applied in scenarios that mostly involve advertising and marketing. A common scenario where beacons are used is to help users access advertisement services that are tied to a particular geographic location. For example, as users enter a store, advertisements and coupons can be pushed to a user's phone so the user can be encouraged to purchase goods and services in the store. Beacon based services are open to all and users gain access to the services simply by virtue of being in physical proximity to a beacon signal.
The use of beacon technology has been slow to catch on and most users have not experienced any interaction with beacons or beacon technology. Furthermore, beacon use has been mostly limited to the world of advertising and marketing. The use of today's beacons typically requires a store owner to create and maintain their own infrastructure in order to provide the benefits that such technology can bring to the store.
It is within this context that the present embodiments arise.